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<b>Rodeos evoke cowboy heritage, bring in visitorst</b>

Rodeo fever will hit hard this weekend, so dust off that cowboy hat and join the commotion.

Williams Labor Day Rodeo, a tradition that dates back to 1941, is touted as the town’s only professional sporting event.

Not only does it showcase top competitors from the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association who try their luck at saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, bareback riding, calf roping, barrel racing and bull riding. But it’s a darn good excuse to sit a spell and mingle while enjoying the action under covered grandstand seats.

The three-day rodeo begins Saturday and runs through Monday, with a 1 p.m. start each day.

This year Las Vaqueras De Tucson Drill Team will grace each rodeo performance. The precision drill team, in existence for more than 25 years, will dazzle audiences with intricate maneuvers executed at break-neck speed. Expect to see them perform the wedding band, thread the needle (figure eights), the split swing and the triple charge they've made famous.

Besides the rodeo, there will also be the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association Pro Divisional Tour barrel racing competition at 7 p.m. Friday.

Of course, you will want to start Saturday off enjoying the non-motorized Labor Day Parade, which wends its way downtown at 10 a.m. with several entries from northern Arizona.

Grand marshal will be Sen. John Wettaw, who will retire from his District 2 seat in the state legislature after serving 28 years.

In keeping with tradition, the honorary grand marshal is a longtime local resident — this year Cecil Wells, an Arizona native who has resided here 54 years.

And for those with dancin’ feet, Latigo will start entertaining at 8 p.m. Saturday as the dance gets underway in the blue barn at the arena.

Actually, 2000 has been a banner year for rodeos in town.

A new summer rodeo series materialized thanks to the Howell brothers, longtime area ranchers. Six Friday and Saturday night rodeos staged in June, July and August built attendance as the summer progressed.

And one Sunday in June, they held an all-girl rodeo, which gave both seasoned and rising cowgirls a chance to strut their stuff.

Hopefully, the Howells will be back next summer to build on their initial effort.

For the third year running, High Country Productions from Phoenix pulled in Fourth of July weekend for their team-roping event. Prior to Williams, this event was held for 10 years at Mormon Lake.

Then the Arizona Cowpunchers showed up a few weeks ago for their 22nd annual reunion. This working cowboys’ rodeo reflects the work participants do on their own farms and ranches, perpetuating the camaraderie born out of fierce pride in the lifestyle they share. It’s also a time to increase the coffers for both the group’s youth scholarship fund and cowboys’ crisis fund.

And the National Christian Barrel Racing Association from Dewey came back to town two weeks ago. Remember, it was just two years ago the second arena was added to accommodate these cowgirls — an arena we get to use for other events at the Rodeo Grounds whether it be barrel races or a warm-up area.

The nice thing about all these events, staged at the rodeo grounds, is they cater to the entire family. And not only do they attract all ages, but also they’re laden with ample action to excite even the city slickers in our midst.

It sure seems like a lot more people than usual are in town on weekends the arena is busy, which can only be a boon to our local economy citywide. In fact, part of the reason these groups come here is because of what Williams provides in the way of restaurants, motels and camping.

True, the All-Indian Rodeo, slated for October, didn’t materialize as hoped. But maybe subsequent years will see it realized.

After all, the Williams Labor Day PRCA Rodeo has become a tradition again here in town largely through the efforts of the rodeo committee chaired by Bob Dean.

And it might be a good time to remind folks that until Dean and his committee revived it, Williams, traditionally a western town, went through nine long years without any rodeo.

Those, who attended the re-christening ceremony at the rodeo grounds a week ago, already know the site almost gave rise to an industrial park until the rodeo committee got the ball rolling again.

Remember, it was only two years ago that new bathrooms and an outdoor patio, additions courtesy of the City of Williams, made the whole facility more user friendly. New bleachers were added last year.

Let’s keep the momentum of rodeo fervor rolling. Let’s give a resounding thank you to the Rodeo Committee and chamber Ambassadors for countless volunteer hours. And whatever you do, make sure you find some time this weekend to mosey on out to the Williams — Bob Dean Rodeo Grounds to enjoy the show.


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